Selector switch



Aug. 22, 1939. w. c. EDWARDS ET AL SELECTOR SWITCH Original Filed Aug. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-She'et 1 as mm J m WM 0 fm m QC p Him WLY g- 1939- w. c. EDWARDS ET AL 70,711

SELECTOR SWITCH Original Filed Aug. 16, 1953 2 sheets-sheet 2 I14 Lq- .NVENTORS William C. fdwaraf. 5501! RCanwe/Z BY wm lv ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 22, 1939 2,170,711

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTOR SWITCH William Correll Edwards and Scott R. Conwell, Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 16, 1933, Serial No.

685,500, now Patent No. 2,059,780, dated November 3, 1936. Divided and this application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 56,018

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-11) movable contact assembly, substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 8-8 of Fig. 7.

A selector switch 50 adapted to be used in the lighting system of an automobile is fully illustrated'in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive. With particular reference to these figures of the drawings, the selector switch comprises a casing including a pair 01 housing members one of which is a cupped housing 12 that telescopically engages a'terminal 10 patented November 3, 1936. cover 14. The cover has a pair of webs or muti- An object of ,the present invention is to prolated flanges l6 internally grooved at 18 to snap vide a cover or enclosure for the switch terminal over a ridge provided by the terminating flange connections to protect the terminal connections of the switch case 12. The switch case member from adverse weather conditions, and in which the 2 is p ov ded wi a Co du t Clamp or support 15 cover may be removed for ready inspection of the 82 in the form oi a cylindrical extension extendterminal connection without disturbing their ing from the side wall of the casing, and is serelative association. cured theretO y any convenient means, the con- Another object of the invention is to provide a duit support being positioned substantially opselector switch that will provide for interchange posite the medial line of the terminal cover 14. of lighting element of a lighting system in ac- Cooperating with the conduit support is a semicordance with varying conditions and statutory cy ndrical shield portion 84 carried by the cover regulation necessitating illumination. This has 14 that overlies the extension 82. been accomplished by providing a switch con- The detail construction of the switch casing I2 struction having a plurality of contacts arranged is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, in which it will 5 in circular rows to which contact portions of will be seen that the flange of the cup 12 is flared electrical circuits are connected. outwardly at 86 to join an enlarged cylindrical Further objects and advantages of the present portion 88, within which is disposed a dielectric invention will be apparent from the following demember 90 constituting a partition within the scription, reference being had to the accompanyhousing separating the switch compartment from 3() ing drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the terminal compartment. The dielectric memone form of the present invention is clearly ber 90 moldably or otherwise secures therein, elecshown. tric conductive elements forming switch contacts In the drawings: on the switch side of the dielectric member and Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation, a selector terminal members on the side adjacent the cover 35 switch embodying the instant invention. -14. These electrically conductive elements con- Fig. 2 illustrates in bottom plan view, a sestitute the fixed switch contacts 28, 32, 36, 40, lector switch substantially as indicated by the 44, 48, 54, 60 and 64 of the selector switch. These arrow 2 of Fig. l. contacts are disposed substantially as indicated Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a selector switch in the plan view of the switch back as illustrated construction, depicting the contributing parts in n Figs} and The w h back wh n distheir relative positions when assembled. posed within the enlarged portion 88 of the switch Fm 4 is a rear View of the Switch back, or com casing, w ll be seated against the flared portion tact and terminal support, substantially as indias m 1t 15 F by means of a sprmg ring 92, disposed within the groove of the cup case cated by the arrow 4 of Fig. 5. vi t 80 h f 45 Pl 5 is a sectional view through the selector pm he ere) we referred t' and g the case 12 may provide means for anchoring the switch substantially as indicated by the line and spring ring, which may include the apertures arrows 55 of through which the spring ends'or angular ex- Fig. 6 is a plan view of the contact side of the tension may project 0 swmch backsubstantla'ny as indicated by the The switch structure enclosed by the casing 12 line and arrows of constitutes a shaft element or coupler 98 adapted Fig. 7 s a detail View in Plan, Of the movable to mate up with an actuator element 99, and by contact assem y su sta ally as illustrat d by which motion may be transmitted to a movable the line-and arrows '!I 0! Fig. 5'. contact assembly I00. The contact assembly in- 55 Fig. 8 is a transverse sectionalview oi the cludes a dielectric plate I02 of annular form,

and about whose central aperture I03 there is mounted a contact ring I04 carrying the contact points I06. The ring is supported from the plate I02 by means of axially extending legs I08 bent from the plate of the ring I04 to extend through apertures I I0 of the plate I 02 where their ends are bent over as at I I 2. A spring I I4 of large diameter is disposed between the plate I02 and the ring I04 and tends to space the same or force them apart. The spring engages the contact ring directly beneath the contact points I08 and is maintained in that particular relation by means of a plurality of axially extending lugs II8 formed from the inner periphery of the ring I04, and disposed just within the inner confines of the spring II4. A pair of arc-like contact strips II8 are mounted upon the plate I02 near the outer periphery thereof, and in substantially diametrically opposed position, one with respect to the other. These contact strips II8 are also floatingly or yieldingly carried by the plate I02 as is the ring I04. That is accomplished by means of rivets or studs I20 passing through the plate I02 and loosely through the strips II8 against which the ends of the rivets are peened over. The rivets or studs carry contact urging springs I22 that tend to separate the contact strips 8 from the plate I 02. Both of these contact strips II8 provide a plurality of contact points I28.

The fixed switch contacts of the selector switch are arranged in two concentric rows. The outer row contains the contacts 36, 44, 84, 40 and while the inner row contains the contacts 28. 48, 54 and 32. It should be noted that the contact points I06 and I24 of the various contact members carried by the assembly I00 are also arranged in two substantially concentric rows, and that they are so characterized that the inner contact member I04 with its contacts I06 may be superimposed upon the inner row of switch contacts provided by the dielectric member 80, while the contacts I24 provided by the members I I8 may be superimposed over the outer row of the fixed contacts provided by the switch back. Thus, rotation of the movable contact assembly will cause the contact members to travel in a circulatory path over the inner surface of the switch back and in so doing will engage one or more of the contact members in the respective rows of fixed contacts.

Rotation of the contact assembly is accomplished by means of the controller 88 hereinbefore referred to, that is in coupled relation with the shaft element 88.

The shaft element 88 is of tubular form and has its ends provided with bearings I 28 and I28 in the switch back and bottom wall of the switch casing respectively. If desired one or both of the shaft ends may be reduced in cross section so as to provide shoulder portions, but at any rate one end of the shaft portion 88 is provided with a pair of flats or other provision to mate with a non-rounded aperture I32 in a driving plate I88. The driving plate I36 provides a plurality of driving lugs I38 upstanding or projecting from the plane thereof, which lugs are formed to provide shouldered portions I40 to be engaged by apertures I42 in the contact carrying plate I02. The driving lugs I38 with the shoulders provide means for spacing the movable contact assembly I00 from the driving plate I38.

At points intermediate the driving lugs, the plate I36 is provided with a circular row of apertures I44 that are disposed over a row of apertures I46 provided by the bottom of the switch case I2, and which rows of apertures are substantially concentric to the shaft bearing I28. Disposed within the space between the driving plate I88 and the contact carrying plate I02 there is a detent plate I48 whose periphery isnotched at I80 for reception of the driving lugs I38 of thedriving plate. The detent plate I48 has a central bore I52 of sumcient diameter to be passed over the larger portion of the shaft element 88. and so as to be loosely associated therewith and between the driving lugs I38. The detent plate I48 is also provided with a plurality of detent provisions such as rounded or spherical bosses I84 adapted to mate up with the apertures I44 oi the driving plate I38. The apertures I 44 are of such magnitude, and the depth of the detent provisions I64 are such that the bosses I84 will project entirely through the apertures I44 and across a space provided by a shim or spacer I88, disposed between the drive plate I38 and the bottom wall of the switch case I2, with the rounded ends of the detent provisions I54 nicely seating in one or another of the apertures I48.

A construction of this kind provides a detent plate I48 that is loosely confined about the shaft 88, and between the contact carrying plate I02 and the driving plate I38. Means are provided to maintain the detent plate seated against the driving plate, and includes a spring I58 embracing the shaft 88. One end of the spring is seated in a spring cup I80 disposed about the bearing end I28 and against the switch back member 80, and the other end of the spring is disposed over the axially flared rim I52 of the plate I48. Providing for this, the central aperture through the contact assembly I00 is of suiilcient diameter to allow the free passage of the spring I88.

A mounting bracket I64 of any desired form may be secured to the switch casing I2 and provides means by which the selector switch may be mounted at the lower end of the steering column, or as may otherwise be desired. The controller 88 will then constitute a rod extending through the steering column and having its lower end in driving relation with the shaft element 88, which may embrace the feather and groove connection I66. When so mounted, rotation of the controller 89 will manifest in a rotary movement of the movable contacts over the fixed contacts of the switch back 80. The switch contacts have electrical communication with suitable leads, as by means of the terminal screws or other fixtures I68 with various lamp connections and with a suitable controller switch, described in our copending application referred to above for controlling the major circuits of the lighting system.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A lighting switch cmoprising in combination, a casing member, a switch back closing the casing member and providing a plurality of fixed contacts, a movable contact assembly within the casing member for cooperation with the fixed contacts, a switch actuator, and means journalled in the casing member and the switch back coupling the actuator to the movable contact assembly, said means comprising, a tubular shaft, a perforated driving plate having a plurality of driving lugs and having a sliding fit over-the tubular shaft for rotation and in driven relation with said tubular shaft, means provided by the movable contact assembly for receiving the ends of the driving lugs, the contact assembly and the driving plate being relatively spaced apart by" said driving lugs, a detent plate disposed. in the space between the contact assembly and the driv- 5 ing plate, said detentplate adapted for axial movement along the tubular shaft and providing detents extending through the perforations of the driving plate for cooperation with recesses in the bottom of the switch casing, and means surrounding the shaft and disposed between the back and the detent plate and through the contact assembly for urging the detent plate into a ratcheting relation with the switch casing.

2. A switch comprising in combination, a housing; a closure for the housing; conducting elements carried by the closure and arranged in two concentric rows, said conducting elements pro viding fixed contacts exposed within the housing, the outer row of contacts being arranged in spaced groups of contacts; a movable contact assembly journalled for rotation within the housing and including a contact carrier, a contact ring supported by the carrier, means provided by the ring and carrier whereby the ring is moved axially with respect to the carrier and rotated therewith and adapted to move over the inner row of fixed contacts, contact strips insulated from each other and disposed outside of the ring, each strip adapted to move over one group of fixed contacts of the outer row, means for supporting each of the contact strips from the carrier, and spring means for urging the ring and the strips toward the closure, the ring and strips having a plurality of contact points, for engagement with the fixed contacts.

3. A lighting switch comprising in combination; a cup-shaped housing; a switch back car'- ried by the housing; conducting elements carried by the switch back and providing fixed contacts within the housing and arranged in two concentric rows, said outer row of contacts being arranged in oppositely disposed groups of contacts; a movable contact assembly for bridging selected ones oi. the fixed contacts; an actuator assembly within the housing for driving the contact assembly, said actuator assembly comprising a shaft journalled in the switch back and the bottom wall of the housing; a driving plate fitted over butnonrotatable with respect to the shaft and providing a plurality of apertures arranged in a row concentric with the axis of the shaft; a detent plate disposed about the shaft and having detent provisions projecting through the driving plate apertures, the bottom wall of the housing having a circular row of apertures concentric with the journal of the shaft; and spring means surrounding the shaft and disposed between the back and the detent plate for urging the detents thereof through the apertures of the driving plate and into the apertures of the bottom wall of the case.

4. A lighting switch comprising in combination; a cup-shaped housing; a closure for the housing; conducting elements carried by the clo sure and providing fixed contacts arranged in two concentric rows; movable contacts enclosed within the housing adapted for engagement with selected ones of the fixed contacts; a contact supporting plate; means for yieldingly mounting the movable contacts thereon and in concentric rows. means for driving the contact supporting plate, said last mentioned means including a tubular shaft extending through the supporting plate and having its ends journalled in the switch back and the bottom wall of the housing; a'driving plate secured to the shaft and having axially extending lugs for engaging the contact supporting plate and for spacing the same from the plate; a detent plate disposed between the driving plate and the contact supporting plate, the housing bottom and driving plate both being apertured in registration with the detents carried by the detent plate; and means surrounding the shaft and engaging the closure and the detent plate and adapted to force the detents thereof into the registering openings.

WILLIAM CORRELL EDWARDS. SCO'I'I R. CONWELL. 

